Tuesday 23 September 2014

Why I chose to study English Lit and American Studies

I have been asked by family and friends many questions about my choice of course at university, mainly why American Studies if you want to work in publishing?
Here I am answering that question, choosing English literature was pretty normal to those who know me well, from a VERY young age I have always been fascinated by books and the idea of delving into a world somebody else has created.
I will be studying work from medieval time periods all the way to contemporary works, this nicely links in with the career I hope to have when I eventually finish! It gives me an all around view of literature through the ages. I have always been fascinated by work that pushes the boundaries of what was expected of those in their own time periods. Females that wrote about empowerment in times when they were expected to look pretty and cook for their husbands, when a male writes from the perspective of a female and visa versa.
But the question I get second to 'what is American studies?' is Why? This I think I can nicely sum up in a few short words.
I decided to take American Studies for the pure fact that it is an all around subject, there is politics, foreign policy, arts and culture and mostly history. Very much like I enjoy delving into the imaginations of others in books I find myself questioning the choices of others VERY frequently. With this subject I get to see the stark contrast of life in the UK and life in the US, not just from the perspective of those that run the country but those who make the country. The ordinary folks, those who chose to sit at the front of the bus, those who saw the pain inflicted on different races and never did anything about it. I want to know more about what makes America this idealistic place, Americans.

So it did not really end up being only a few short words, but then I never really was one to stop myself from talking and I don't think I ever will be.


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